I just bought a Peloton - Love it!

[Boglegirl81]

We tried the digital app as a test and found the instructors obnoxious/annoying - wish there was a service with "normal" people like the spin instructors at our local (closed down) gym.

+1

The closest to normal instructor I’ve found is Dennis Morton. He actually knows fitness and designs decent workouts rather than just being a motivational speaker with a “cool” playlist.

Not to mention all of their other workouts, like Bodypump. Their classes are all science-based and are far better than some instructor making up their own workout.

Despite the fact that there was in fact a very small (and even more poorly designed) pilot trial involving bodypump that showed decent results (for untrained women) in about half of the metrics (compared to doing nothing), I would hardly call it "science-based". The entire foundation of the method is doing low weights for very high reps, "to exhaust your muscles so you don’t get bulky, you just get strength and tone;" which is contradictory to several different principles of exercise physiology. It's a decent option for someone who has little or no experience with strength training, but that's as far as I'd go.

While I don’t know of the study you’re referring to, I’ve done Bodypump for over 10 years as my only strength workout and I’m quite lean and toned, especially for someone in her late 30’s! Though I think Bodypump is considered Les Mills’ “baby,” they have plenty of other workouts if someone isn’t into high rep, low(er) weight strength workouts. I have considered changing up my strength training to see how heavy I can lift, but decided that I have had so much success doing Bodypump with no injuries that it seems foolish to change it up. Also, millions of people worldwide do Bodypump. Many of these people would do no strength training at all if not for Les Mills making it enjoyable.

They do a lot of research with their programs and creating each individual workout. As an example, I’ve done “HIIT” workouts at boutique gyms and while challenging, they are not true HIIT workouts. Les Mills Grit is 30 min long and they design it to be a true HIIT workout. They trial the workouts and measure participants’ heart rates to ensure they’re getting the desired result.

I think the best workout in the world is the one you’ll actually do. A lot of people feel that way about Peloton and I think that’s great, but I don’t think it compares to the content at Les Mills.

[lightheir]

Yes, I do consider bikes high-impact. I used to use Schwinn stationary bikes in gyms (they were common there at one time). I could always spend a lot of energy, but it was concentrated in my legs and knees.

I feel that a stationary bike's impact is pretty severe in my knees.

The elliptical machine just feels like the same amount of energy in spent, but it is distributed much more evenly between my upper an lower body.
When I go back on a traditional stationary bike now, I sense that my upper body is just not that involved and is just along for the ride.

Quick history of the elliptical.
https://www.ellipticalreviews.com/histo ... l-machine/

Bicycling is not high impact. It is in fact an excellent rehabilitation exercise due to its low impact nature. You “feel it in your knees” because of the patellofemoral joint reaction forces that occur with repetitive quadriceps concentric contractions. Running is high impact because the knee lands in a relatively extended position and forces are transmitted proximally through the foot to ankle to leg to knee to thigh to hip. Thats why people can develop shin splints due to constant microtrauma to the tibia causing the stress fracture when walking and/or running over long periods of time.

All of the research I have seen on stationary bikes reinforces this point, determining if something is high impact should not be subjective or something you "feel".

As someone. who does a lot of running and cycling and swimming, I'd advise - if your body can tolerate running, even a small amount of it, KEEP IT GOING.

It is the most physiologic and useful of all the cardio activities. But if you stop and your joints/tendons get 'out of shape' it can be near-impossible to restart.

Of course, if you are already at that point where joints are totally rebelling, avoid

[rgs92]

OK, point taken about the doubts about stationary bikes being high-impact. Regardless on the idea of impact, for me it is a matter of concentrating stress on leg and knee movement for a cardio workout.
(After this, I will stop belaboring this issue of elliptical machines vs. stationary bikes, but I will just summarize.)

1. Stationary bikes are a much older, maybe even antiquated technology that has been largely replaced (by popular demand) in the several large YMCAs and large gyms I have frequented over the last 25-30 years. If I saw a gym with mostly bikes and no ellipticals, I would think I was back in 1985.
The equipment makeup has evolved to reflect this new technology and what people want and like.

At one large YMCA, they bought 2 stationary bikes that had some sort of smart-phone interface to assisted workouts (pre-Peloton era) and some people used them for a while but then they were largely ignored and those people went back to their elliptical machines.

2. The main types of cardio machines I see used in gyms are ellipticals and treadmills. That seems to comprise the bulk (about 90%) of cardio workouts.

3. Most gyms I have known have about 20-30 elliptical machines that are always in use and a few forlorn bikes with little usage. This reflects the preferences of most of the membership population (a very large number of people). The bikes seem to collect dust except for some people who like to do some very fast spinning. Again, that is just my observation, but it has been consistent.

4. I think spinning classes are where stationary bikes are mostly used, and Peloton I am guessing capitalized on that revised popularity.

5. Personally, when I get on a stationary bike, it seems primitive to me, like my upper body and arms are just along for the ride, and all I want to do is get back on my elliptical. Of course it's a matter of personal preference, but to avoid possible buyer's remorse on such a major expenditure that is hard to reverse, I would not jump into purchasing a stationary bike without trying elliptical machines, especially since (from my experience) a large majority of experienced exercisers have cast their vote with the elliptical machine.

[MDfan]

My wife is thinking of buying one. I understand that almost everybody loves it for the initial few months.
Can anybody who has owned it for >1 year chime in.

Most costly exercise equipment is unused by its first anniversary. That is not true for OLED TV.

I had mine for about two years. I started having some lower back pain and my chiropractor thought it could be related to the Peloton. Made it tough to use and when I took a break for a month or so, the pain went away. Ended up selling it on Craigslist and got almost 85% of what I paid for it.

I liked it and it was a very good cardio workout (although it does nothing for upper body). Currently seriously considering purchasing a Hydrow rower.

For those who always chime in about the "cheaper" alternatives and the monthly fee, if it's something you can afford, and it if to gets you to work out regularly, then it's worth it. $40/month is not going to break me, nor is $2000 or so up front. I do realize it's cheaper to ride a bike outside or to buy some free weights (which I already have). I just have no problems spending my money on something like a Peloton or a Hydrow that benefits my health.

[Old Guy]

“Different strokes for different folks,” an aphorism that so many people on this board have a hard time accepting.

As for me, I ordered a Peloton two days ago. It will arrive December 28. I no longer feel comfortable going to the gym where I used to spend an hour, five days a week on the elliptical and lifting weights. Instead of the gym, I now ride my bike outside on our costal southeastern island every other day. I’ll hit 90 miles this week. But, there’s only so many places you can ride on an island and it’s getting colder. Having lived in Wisconsin for 10 years, I realize the concept of cold is relative, but after five years in the south 60s are cold especially when riding into a headwind. I find it increasingly disagreeable. I’ve also had a few falls and one header and at 77 I need to be careful. So, beginning late December through the arrival of warmer weather I’ll spend most of my time, but not all, inside with the Peloton and weights. In warmer weather, or at least until it gets too hot, I’ll reverse my inside/outside bike riding.

[rgs92]

That's awesome Old Guy. You are a great role model. All the best to you.

[Sevo]

That's awesome! I hear great things about Peloton and hey, whatever gets you motivated and active is worth the $$. However, I'll just offer a suggestion as an alternative to Peloton that is more economical and offers a different type of workout! I use an indoor trainer called a wahoo kickr core ($640) along with an app called zwift ($14/mo) and it's so awesome. It allows me to put my own road bike on the trainer, a bike that is specifically fitted to me (I have no back/knee issues) and that I can also ride outside (vs a peloton which is stationary and can not be ridden outside). Through zwift, I ride virtually with my friends, race with other people, do structured workouts etc. It has made a huge difference to my fitness as a cyclist and triathlete. I'd highly recommend it! Also, if you are in to specific performance metrics (ie heart rate zone based training, FTP, etc) zwift would give you a more targeted fitness program. If anyone has questions, I'd be happy to answer!

And to answer all the arguments about biking being low impact etc, compared to running cycling is definitely low impact and a lot easier on knees and joints. However, low impact does NOT mean low intensity. I can really get an high intensity workout on the bike and spike my heart rate into zone 5 more easily. I can ride for hours on the bike, vs running (being higher impact) my "long" runs are usually ~2 hrs after which it starts to take a significant toll on my body.

[Cruise]

I bought a trainer (stand) for my road bike so I can ride in the garage during the winter. It’s my “me time” that I use to listen to podcasts, which are free.

If you have a CSR or CSP credit card, be sure to use up your credits.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/chase-u ... edits.html

Thanks for mentioning this. I did not see the FT article. I has signed up for the free month's trial and have been impressed with the wide range of classes. I'll continue to enjoy them using my $120 of statement credit and maybe beyond!

[Dude2]

“Different strokes for different folks,” an aphorism that so many people on this board have a hard time accepting.

No, don't take it that way. I think we are all very happy to hear from those who are able to afford Peletons and are using them and loving them and feel the product has more than earned its value. Please keep using it and be happy and healthy. In fact, in my mind, if this keeps people riding bikes off the streets where we might hit them with our cars accidentally, all the more reason to promote them. (Full disclosure, I'm one of those people with a bike on the street).

Any negativity here is to throw cold water on the tremendous hype going around that makes it seem that this product is for everybody and that you just have to get one or get one for you or for family, not taking into account so many factors. In other words, this is being set up as the "it" product for Christmas, etc. and the cure-all to covid-related blues and gym inaccessibility.

Just trying to give some perspective as to what is real versus what is hype or a sales pitch.

[lazydavid]

Is the subscription essential for enjoying this bike? Or could one drop the costly service later on and continue using the equipment?

It really is. If you're not going to use the subscription, there are far better options such as the Keiser M3i. Without the subscription, "Just Ride" is the only option, and at that point you could have spent significantly less on a similar-quality bike.

Regarding ellipticals: Found it funny that the conversation went this way, considering we literally sold our elliptical last week. I never could stand the thing, unbearable soreness in my hips within a few minutes. We originally got it from my mom, who never used it either. Bike for me, treadmill for the wife. Works great for us.

[rationalactor]

Re: speaker model—Mine is just a portable JBL Flip 4. JBL now has a newer version called the Flip 5, which looks identical. Connects to the device you are using for the Peleton app via Bluetooth. Could not be simpler.

[arsenalfan]

Thanks OP.

Anyone know someone who used Peloton's 30 day free return?

[dowse]

Can anyone recommend a good resource for strength training at home?

[simplesimon]

Can anyone recommend a good resource for strength training at home?

Do you have equipment at home? Are you willing to buy some?

https://startingstrength.com/article/ho ... a-home-gym

If you have nothing and don’t want to buy much, resistance bands are pretty cheap and can get you started if you can’t do bodyweight stuff.

[LadyGeek]

^^^ You can find recommendations in: Older Women Lifting Weights

If you don't feel comfortable posting in that thread, then search the Consumer Issues forum (this one). There's a ton of info.

Let's try and stick to the Peloton in this thread. (Including opposing points of view - ellipticals, etc...)

[stoptothink]

We tried the digital app as a test and found the instructors obnoxious/annoying - wish there was a service with "normal" people like the spin instructors at our local (closed down) gym.

+1

The closest to normal instructor I’ve found is Dennis Morton. He actually knows fitness and designs decent workouts rather than just being a motivational speaker with a “cool” playlist.

Not to mention all of their other workouts, like Bodypump. Their classes are all science-based and are far better than some instructor making up their own workout.

Despite the fact that there was in fact a very small (and even more poorly designed) pilot trial involving bodypump that showed decent results (for untrained women) in about half of the metrics (compared to doing nothing), I would hardly call it "science-based". The entire foundation of the method is doing low weights for very high reps, "to exhaust your muscles so you don’t get bulky, you just get strength and tone;" which is contradictory to several different principles of exercise physiology. It's a decent option for someone who has little or no experience with strength training, but that's as far as I'd go.

While I don’t know of the study you’re referring to, I’ve done Bodypump for over 10 years as my only strength workout and I’m quite lean and toned, especially for someone in her late 30’s! Though I think Bodypump is considered Les Mills’ “baby,” they have plenty of other workouts if someone isn’t into high rep, low(er) weight strength workouts. I have considered changing up my strength training to see how heavy I can lift, but decided that I have had so much success doing Bodypump with no injuries that it seems foolish to change it up. Also, millions of people worldwide do Bodypump. Many of these people would do no strength training at all if not for Les Mills making it enjoyable.

They do a lot of research with their programs and creating each individual workout. As an example, I’ve done “HIIT” workouts at boutique gyms and while challenging, they are not true HIIT workouts. Les Mills Grit is 30 min long and they design it to be a true HIIT workout. They trial the workouts and measure participants’ heart rates to ensure they’re getting the desired result.

I think the best workout in the world is the one you’ll actually do. A lot of people feel that way about Peloton and I think that’s great, but I don’t think it compares to the content at Les Mills.

The entire "science base" for body pump is a single small and poorly designed pilot trial, that did not exactly have good results. When you say it is "science-based", that is it. The fact that it is different than other similarly-marketed programs doesn't support that statement either. I don't disagree with most of what you said and I'm sure it works great for you, but as someone who is an actual scientist in this field, it's the statement that it has a "science base" that bothers me. If you do it, that's the #1 thing; it has not been shown in actual scientific investigation to be effective compared to other modalities.

[RJC]

We love our Peloton. Got it a few months ago and have been riding consistently. We have two young kids so it's great to get a full on cardio workout in 20-30 min.

I highly recommend to anyone on the fence.

[tm3]

My wife is thinking of buying one. I understand that almost everybody loves it for the initial few months.
Can anybody who has owned it for >1 year chime in.

Most costly exercise equipment is unused by its first anniversary. That is not true for OLED TV.

My background: road and mountain bike rider for >30 years, stationary bike owner/user for longer than that, ex-runner, have used a variety of gym equipment such as rowers and ellipticals, have attended many spin classes, frequent Peloton user at the gym before The Virus hit.

There are certainly more economical ways to work out than Peloton. Just walk or run up and down stairs, and do a bunch of burpees. Good luck sticking with that program.

Peloton may provide the type of interaction that motivates one to stick long term, and if so, it is worth the investment many times over. Getting into the workout, watching your heart rate, setting goals and trying to improve all beat slowly moving the pedals of an elliptical while losing yourself in your phone (which I saw a helluva lot of at the gym).

I enjoyed the Peloton, but I found after about 6 months that I had tired of the sameness of the workouts. All of the instructors blather on way too much. I personally would not invest in one. If I were starting from scratch I would buy an "air bike" like the Assault or Concept 2 for HIIT workouts and a Concept 2 rower for longer sessions -- and invest the savings over the Peloton.

[ram]

I enjoyed the Peloton, but I found after about 6 months that I had tired of the sameness of the workouts. All of the instructors blather on way too much. I personally would not invest in one. If I were starting from scratch I would buy an "air bike" like the Assault or Concept 2 for HIIT workouts and a Concept 2 rower for longer sessions -- and invest the savings over the Peloton.

Thanks tm. I would never buy a peloton for myself. If my wife bought it I will use it occasionally. I like to watch my own TV programs while I exercise and I know that I will hate all those blatherers. I will show all responses here to my wife and let her make the decision.

[ram]

My wife is thinking of buying one. I understand that almost everybody loves it for the initial few months.
Can anybody who has owned it for >1 year chime in.

Most costly exercise equipment is unused by its first anniversary. That is not true for OLED TV.

My mother bought an exercise bike years ago and she still uses it every day --- to hang clothing on.

Thanks 789.
When we moved to the current house the movers moved my heavy treadmill to my basement and the guys were huffing and puffing and one of them noted "We probably get more exercise moving this stuff than the people who buy it."
Currently we have a treadmill, weights and a ping pong table for exercise at home. In the summer we do some outdoor cycling. But in the upper midwest the outdoor cycling season is over and we are looking to add some more indoor equipment now that we can not go to the gym.

Thanks also to MD fan, Lazydavid and normchad for your very useful responses

[pondering]

I wish people would post what they paid

[queso]

I enjoyed the Peloton, but I found after about 6 months that I had tired of the sameness of the workouts. All of the instructors blather on way too much. I personally would not invest in one. If I were starting from scratch I would buy an "air bike" like the Assault or Concept 2 for HIIT workouts and a Concept 2 rower for longer sessions -- and invest the savings over the Peloton.

Thanks tm. I would never buy a peloton for myself. If my wife bought it I will use it occasionally. I like to watch my own TV programs while I exercise and I know that I will hate all those blatherers. I will show all responses here to my wife and let her make the decision.

I've had one since 2018 and am also a road cyclist and mountain biker. Prior to the Peloton I had a magnetic trainer and a spare back wheel that I used in the off season with my road bike (I used old tires on my spare back wheel with the trainer since it causes flat spots and wears out expensive tires too quickly). I never would have gotten a Peloton had I not joined my wife's gym for a year and taken some spin classes there. If you like spin classes you will like the Peloton. I think that's about as simple as you can distill it down to. If you don't like spin classes you are better off buying a trainer, rollers or another cheaper stationary bike and listening to music or watching TV while you ride. The whole draw of the Peloton is the instructor led spin classes, randomly high fiving strangers and trying to beat your personal records or some other schmo on the leaderboard with 10 hashtags. If that and listening to some instructor singing along to the Biebs or pontificating about her cycling achievements and race results sounds nauseating to you then save your money.

[catdoctor]

“Different strokes for different folks,” an aphorism that so many people on this board have a hard time accepting.

As for me, I ordered a Peloton two days ago. It will arrive December 28.

I ordered mine Sept. 20. It will arrive Dec. 17! Long wait! I had a Peloton on order from July 2, but changed to a Peloton + on Sept. 20.
I have been using the app with a spin bike for a while; but, I have used the P. bike, and it is worth it to me to be more "connected".

[lazydavid]

I wish people would post what they paid

Total delivered cost back in 2018 was $2696.72, which included:

• $1,995 The bike
• $250 Delivery
• $230 39-month extended warranty
• $221.72 Tax
• Free Black Friday promo "The Works" package including mat, heart rate monitor, shoes, headphones, and weights

To this, I've since added:

• $96.18 Pearl Izumi Road V5 shoes and Look Delta Cleats (free shoes were in my wife's size)
• $79.95 Scosche Rhythm+ Heart Rate Monitor (the Peloton chest strap HRM is rubbish)
• $265.61 Powerbeats Pro headphones

None of which is purely necessary, and I use the Powerbeats Pro away from the bike as well. But if I take the most expansive possible view of "cost" and include all of them, that brings the total acquisition costs to $3,138.46. The bike now costs $350 less than I paid, and if you exclude the extended warranty and my "extras", that would knock about a grand off.

I've then paid for 23 months of service at $39/mo, for a total of $897. So my all-in costs after almost two years (including all the extras) are $4,035.46.

As of this morning, I've taken a total of 1,496 classes in those two years. But only 794 of those were rides. So my cost per ride is $5.08. Already dramatically cheaper than even a sub-par spin studio, and continuing to fall by the day. I've ridden 11,393 miles, so my cost per mile is $0.35, less than the federal mileage reimbursement rate.

[Osterix]

I enjoyed the Peloton, but I found after about 6 months that I had tired of the sameness of the workouts. All of the instructors blather on way too much. I personally would not invest in one. If I were starting from scratch I would buy an "air bike" like the Assault or Concept 2 for HIIT workouts and a Concept 2 rower for longer sessions -- and invest the savings over the Peloton.

Thanks tm. I would never buy a peloton for myself. If my wife bought it I will use it occasionally. I like to watch my own TV programs while I exercise and I know that I will hate all those blatherers. I will show all responses here to my wife and let her make the decision.

I've had one since 2018 and am also a road cyclist and mountain biker. Prior to the Peloton I had a magnetic trainer and a spare back wheel that I used in the off season with my road bike (I used old tires on my spare back wheel with the trainer since it causes flat spots and wears out expensive tires too quickly). I never would have gotten a Peloton had I not joined my wife's gym for a year and taken some spin classes there. If you like spin classes you will like the Peloton. I think that's about as simple as you can distill it down to. If you don't like spin classes you are better off buying a trainer, rollers or another cheaper stationary bike and listening to music or watching TV while you ride. The whole draw of the Peloton is the instructor led spin classes, randomly high fiving strangers and trying to beat your personal records or some other schmo on the leaderboard with 10 hashtags. If that and listening to some instructor singing along to the Biebs or pontificating about her cycling achievements and race results sounds nauseating to you then save your money.

I enjoy the Power Zone rides. Honestly, I’m huffing and puffing so hard I can’t even focus on the instructors.

[lightheir]

I wish people would post what they paid

Total delivered cost back in 2018 was $2696.72, which included:

• $1,995 The bike
• $250 Delivery
• $230 39-month extended warranty
• $221.72 Tax
• Free Black Friday promo "The Works" package including mat, heart rate monitor, shoes, headphones, and weights

To this, I've since added:

• $96.18 Pearl Izumi Road V5 shoes and Look Delta Cleats (free shoes were in my wife's size)
• $79.95 Scosche Rhythm+ Heart Rate Monitor (the Peloton chest strap HRM is rubbish)
• $265.61 Powerbeats Pro headphones

None of which is purely necessary, and I use the Powerbeats Pro away from the bike as well. But if I take the most expansive possible view of "cost" and include all of them, that brings the total acquisition costs to $3,138.46. The bike now costs $350 less than I paid, and if you exclude the extended warranty and my "extras", that would knock about a grand off.

I've then paid for 23 months of service at $39/mo, for a total of $897. So my all-in costs after almost two years (including all the extras) are $4,035.46.

As of this morning, I've taken a total of 1,496 classes in those two years. But only 794 of those were rides. So my cost per ride is $5.08. Already dramatically cheaper than even a sub-par spin studio, and continuing to fall by the day. I've ridden 11,393 miles, so my cost per mile is $0.35, less than the federal mileage reimbursement rate.

1496 rides in 2 years is a lot! 2 rides a day, every day for 2 years non stop no breaks if you count it that way!

[lazydavid]

1496 rides in 2 years is a lot! 2 rides a day, every day for 2 years non stop no breaks if you count it that way!

You missed the next sentence. Only 794 rides. The remainder of the classes are either post-ride stretch (do one pretty much every day; it makes a BIG difference in how I feel for the next day's ride), walking, strength, or meditation. It's pretty much one ride per day, though I'll tack on a 10-minute cooldown ride after a particularly strenuous main ride, or occasionally string together some shorter rides in lieu of a longer one.

[Ykcor]

My wife wanted the Peleton Tread but couldn't get because of the pandemic. Now after over a year on the market the reviews are not good. Plus only one year warranty so we will pass on the tread.

[Viks]

Have one. It’s okay. Most of the instructors are meh. Too much feel good motivational “this is your time love yourself” talk gets repetitive and irritating.

I much prefer a rowing machine or an elliptical over the bike. They work nearly double the number of muscles and are very low impact. Only got the peloton to satisfy other members of the household

I bought a WaterRower recently and find it far better than an elliptical, bike or treadmill. It works 80+% of muscle groups. You can get the hipster 'connected' experience using the CityRowGo app if needed. I instead use a Quest 2 headset paired with the Holodia Holofit app - I much prefer the holographic worlds to large bearded men yelling at you on TV

[MDfan]

Just purchased a Hydrow with Best Buy's Black Friday sale. $600 off total ($250 off, $250 BB gift card, $100 in BB rewards by using credit card).

[Iorek]

Just purchased a Hydrow with Best Buy's Black Friday sale. $600 off total ($250 off, $250 BB gift card, $100 in BB rewards by using credit card).

Love my hydrow— literally the first exercise equipment I look forward to using (and it’s good for your core, and arms to some degree, vs a peloton where you add on separate exercises for those)

[friar1610]

Just purchased a Hydrow with Best Buy's Black Friday sale. $600 off total ($250 off, $250 BB gift card, $100 in BB rewards by using credit card).

Love my hydrow— literally the first exercise equipment I look forward to using (and it’s good for your core, and arms to some degree, vs a peloton where you add on separate exercises for those)

I regularly used a Concept 2 rower, alternating with spin classes, at my gym in the pre-COVID days and have considered buying one for home use as I may not rejoin the gym. Until reading this thread I had never heard of Hydrow. Based on a very quick look at their web site it looks sleeker and pricier than the C2. Has anyone done a comparison of the two brands and, if so, what were the results?

To continue to hijack this thread I’ve also seen mention here of Les Mills. That site looks somewhat like the program I subscribe to for home workouts post-COVID, Team Body Project. Les Mills looks like it has a bit more variety and prices are comparable. Has anyone had any experience with both Less Mills and Team Body Project they’d care to share?

Of note, at 75 I’m not trying to become a triathelete or compete in the Mr. Universe contest - just trying stay in better-than-average shape as I age and not “let the old man in”.

[LadyGeek]

Let's keep this thread focused on the Peloton (and similar).

[arsenalfan]

Bike and essentials package (shoes weights) $2246
Had referral $100 off.

Order 10/27 scheduled delivery 12/3 (originally early jan).

Have used a 4-5x previously at hotels, partner and I hit gym spin class 6-7x per week pre covid, so it will get good use.

We also got a horizon tread 7.4 and kids and adults alike are using it daily for 5-10 miles (kids get unlimited screens so long as going at least 2 mph lol)

[pseudoiterative]

Tangent, regarding Peloton the public company:

• fun to see a few people are combining cheaper models from other manufacturers (schwinn / wahoo kickr core) - some with the pelaton app, others with competing subscription services (zwift!). Also interesting to note some people have signed up to peloton's cheaper digital sub offering without buying any hardware.
• has anyone thought about the apple watch & subscription fitness service? it seems like apple is planning to launch a competing subscription fitness service at a similar price point to peloton's cheaper app & zwift.
• has anyone bought one of the peloton treadmills? or know anyone who has? allegedly there's a larger market for selling treadmills than selling bikes, which is presumably why Peloton is trying to sell them.
• Peloton the business looks like it will pursue a strategy where they aren't trying to make their profit from sales of equipment. You can start to see that as the price of their original bike model has started to drop. It might not be too surprising if the price continues to drop in future, if they can figure out how to drive down the manufacturing costs. It might be a bit like amazon's strategy with the kindle: the cheaper they can make the hardware, they larger market there is to sell ebooks. If they make the bike hardware cheaper or ensure their subscription service works okay with cheap competing products (e.g. schwinn), they can keep growing their subscriber count for the digital subscription service. The lifetime revenue from a subscriber at their more expensive subscription price point is monthly price / monthly churn rate = $34 / 0.9% = $3777 (!) , assuming they can keep monthly churn to around 0.9%. That said, if competition from zwift or apple fitness ramps up and develops into a bit of a price war, they might suddenly see a lot of churn if subscribers depart for better deals. I don't really see how there is any "lock in" that makes it hard for customers to switch away, compared to some other subscription services. Competition is great news for customers but less good news for prospective investors.
• once the whole covid mess is over, it'll be interesting to see how many people continue with the subscriptions or cancel & switch back to in person gym or outdoor exercise for social aspects, in person instruction, sunlight, etc. a lot of second hand bikes may end up on the market if the habit doesn't stick for some people.
• fun fact - in march, april, june, sales of home gym equipment such as barbells spiked to about 2000% compared to the previous period in 2019. So I'd expect peloton's number of bike sales got a bit lift from that wave of home-gym interest as well. it wouldn't be surprising if peloton doesn't sell as many new bikes next year, although they can continue to grow subscribers and subscriber revenue without selling their own bike hardware.

No criticism intended here, if you find a way to exercise that works for you, Peloton or otherwise, particularly if it becomes a habit that you enjoy and can easily keep doing -- that's fantastic!

[lazydavid]

has anyone bought one of the peloton treadmills? or know anyone who has? allegedly there's a larger market for selling treadmills than selling bikes, which is presumably why Peloton is trying to sell them.

We bought one at launch, my wife love is (I'm not a treadmill person). The slat belt is an absolute game-changer, previously only available on insanely-expensive (but excellent) Woodway treadmills. So much more comfortable and consistent than a traditional belt. And the controls are much better than any other treadmills we've used.

Peloton the business looks like it will pursue a strategy where they aren't trying to make their profit from sales of equipment. You can start to see that as the price of their original bike model has started to drop. It might not be too surprising if the price continues to drop in future, if they can figure out how to drive down the manufacturing costs.

This is absolutely the strategy. In fact, the reason they are offering an option to "trade up" to the new Bike+ model (by way of a $700 credit for your original bike) is so that they can collect a large number of original BIkes to sell refurbished for an even lower price. They haven't announced pricing yet, but my guess is somewhere in the $1300 range. The money is in the subscriptions, so the easier/cheaper they can make it to get hardware into people's homes, the better they'll do.

[Freefun]

I thought about getting it but don’t think I’ll use it much after the pandemic. I love hiking and the outdoors being in nature. I did buy a concept2 rower early in the pandemic and it’s the best $900 I’ve spent in a long time.

[New Providence]

I own the bike and the stock.

[Ghost2]

I tried to buy a Peloton more than a year ago. They simply could not figure out how to deliver it to me on a ferry-serviced island outside of Seattle, kept telling me how complicated it was to deliver to an island, like they had to swim it here or something. Delivery trucks come here all the time. Hell, my kitchen range got delivered to my front porch, free Amazon Prime shipping, baby. But Peloton yanked me around for two months before I gave up and canceled the order.

I looked into alternatives, found the NordicTrack, and believe it's the better product. It is higher end, yet slightly cheaper due to less hype. The screen rotates 180 degrees so I can use it to follow yoga, lifting, and stretching classes. It has an incline feature which adjusts automatically with the prompts, as does the resistance. It has a built-in fan and comes with hand weights. The screen is *stunning.*

Best of all, I take many courses that are rides in amazing places - Turkey, New Zealand, Norway, Viet Nam – just amazing. It has been great for dealing with my sadness at not traveling during the pandemic. (I don't take the spin classes. Haven't tried any of them.)

The first year or two of the software comes free. I've had it for almost a year, haven't had to pay for it yet. Yes, I still use it. I'm not motivated to work out much, don't like working out at all, but I do like riding my NordicTrack. And I love having it right here at home, pandemic or otherwise. No traffic, exhaust, rain, potholes. I go out walking regularly, but don't like biking when there are cars around, so this is great for me.

NT's customer service is crap, though. Fortunately I haven't had to deal with them much.

[cheesepep]

For people like me who don't have a bike or basically any exercise equipment at home besides a yoga mat and who have a Chase Sapphire Reserve card with $120 annual Peloton credit, would it be worth trying out?

[exigent]

Thanks, but imma stick with my Concept2 BikeErg + Netflix.

[lazydavid]

For people like me who don't have a bike or basically any exercise equipment at home besides a yoga mat and who have a Chase Sapphire Reserve card with $120 annual Peloton credit, would it be worth trying out?

That depends. Do you think you would enjoy spinning, which is similar to but not quite the same as biking? Would metrics showing your improvement; and gamification (leaderboard competition, badges, etc) help motivate you? If yes, then it might be a good option. If no, I would definitely do extra research before committing.

It's an amazing platform for people that mesh well with their way of doing things (like me). But I can totally see it being a flash in the pan for other people.

[RobLyons]

Prepare for my own personal critique.

Time will tell if I'm wrong but I equate Peloton to a shiny new toy or fitness fad that catches your attention and is fun for a while but fades over time. It reminds me of fitness trends like the ab roller, tae bo, P90X, barre, Bowflex, insanity, the ab roller, thigh master, Fitbit or cross fit, or hula hooping in the 60s but this time with a huge price tag and I heard monthly payments for classes?

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for something that gets people moving and any of these could be tools in the toolbox but when it comes to personal health and fitness, however the motivating factor comes from within and even the best workout equipment is unlikely to keep most people motivated for very long if they don't have the internal drive to continue on.

Lastly on my long winded rant is that trying to solve an obesity epidemic in this country with workout equipment just isn't feasible when the American diet stays the same. It's much easier to make a plan and implement healthy habits that lead to long term changes rather than trying to sweat it all out. What good is burning 400 calories after just consuming a 2,000 cal turkey dinner? May slow weight gain but it's like putting a band aid on a wound that needs stitches. Especially considering when there will be times in our life we can't hop on the peloton - injury, traveling, sickness, or just plain exhaustion or one day you get sick of doing the same exercise. But the diet remains.

Being cheap I'm just sticking with my diet, 4 year old $600 home treadmill and $25 gym membership that's free through work. But to each their own!